Anime Film Review: Odd Taxi: In the Woods
Audiences going into Odd Taxi: In the Woods looking for something set in the actual woods will be disappointed; the procedural mystery predominantly takes place around inner-Tokyo. Audiences looking for an expansion into one of 2021’s hottest anime series will be a little more eager to learn that In the Woods expands upon the world of Odokawa will get an interesting reflection with some new content.
The companion film to the 2021 sleeper-hit anime Odd Taxi both meaningfully expands upon the original series while also condensing some of its plot lines, with all the benefits and the challenges that come with that.
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It has become a trend in recent years for anime series to release ‘recap’ films after their initial broadcast run. In the Woods is simultaneously part of this tradition, while also integrating new material and perspectives that go a bit beyond what’s presented in the series. Based around an anthropomorphic walrus taxi driver, Odokawa, the original Odd Taxi is an interesting ensemble cast that was widely acclaimed for its kaleidoscopic mystery style and anthropomorphically-reimagined ruminations on modern Japanese urban life.
At just past two hours in length, Into the Woods’s slightly longer-than-average-for-anime runtime is spent on showing the intertwined narratives of the different suspects and witnesses in the disappearance of a teenage idol girl in Tokyo. One of the hooks of this film adaptation is the ensemble cast feel, which condenses the plotlines of the series in some ways while offering new perspectives in others.
The film has all the bonuses, and all the drawbacks of being a sort of compilation movie. While it does a good job of avoiding feeling like a clip show, the faster pace
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